A Good Morning
by onefishtwofish
Summary: The Merry Men discover that Ranger and Stephanie have been dating. Told from many points of view. Fluffy and romantic, I hope.


Title: A Good Morning

Author: onefishtwofish

Pairing: Stephanie/Ranger

Rating: T

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters. They belong to the brilliant Janet.

Warning: This story contains mild adult situations and some swearing. If that sort of content offends you, please read no further.

Summary: The Merry Men discover that Ranger and Stephanie have been dating.

Note: This is my first Janet Evanovich story, though I have written other fanfiction previously. This is a one-shot, but I'm considering writing another, full length story. Please let me know what you think!

**Lester's POV:**

Ranger was wearing sweats. Blank sweat pants to be exact. And no shirt. For the first time in my memory, he was late for a meeting. And he hadn't gone running this morning, that was obvious. In fact, it looked as though he had just gotten out of bed, his hair still mussed up and left down.

It was eight o'clock in the morning.

And this was Ranger.

Something was going on, and I was hoping to find out what that something was.

Tank probably knew. He always seemed to know.

All Bobby and Cal told me was that we were to meet in Ranger's living room for our meeting this morning instead of in the office downstairs.

I had talked to both Hal and Ram and neither one knew what was going on.

Lazy bastards.

They were on monitor duty last night. They claimed that Ranger didn't go out after eight.

I had a creeping suspicion that Tank had spoken to them and they were pointedly keeping their mouths shut.

Ranger walked into his kitchen and started making coffee.

Tank was briefing us and I was trying to listen, but I couldn't help wondering what the hell was going on. A moment later, I got my answer at last.

"Baby, come back to bed."

Bombshell walked out in Boss's black button down shirt from his suit the day before.

And nothing else.

Damn.

**Ranger's POV:**

I didn't like missing my morning run, and I liked being late even less. However, for once my body's alarm didn't wake me, and I was guessing its absence was from the odd, contented haze that I had begun to feel since last night.

I had been spending the night alternating making love with Stephanie and dozing, watching her sleep and whispering to her.

I woke up to a call from Tank, telling me I was fifteen minutes late for my own meeting, and wondering if I was coming or he should reschedule.

There was no point in trying to sleep again (I hadn't slept that late in years), but my Babe was still dozing peacefully next to me and I didn't want to leave her. I was feeling unusually clingy, but I guessed that had to do with the words we had said to each other last night.

We had been seeing each other exclusively (and privately) for two months, after I finally told her that I loved her and wanted to be with her. But last night, for the first time, I told her that I didn't only love her, I was in love with her. She had kissed me, told me the same, and we had gotten very little sleep thereafter.

I arranged to have my men meet me up here instead, though only Tank knew that Stephanie and I were seeing each other. I knew that he had probably guessed what was going on when I requested that the meeting take place here, and I supposed that many of my men suspected, but they knew better than to ask.

As the meeting began I started making coffee, hoping to coax Steph out of bed and into the shower with me after we were finished.

I was thinking I would work a light day and take some time off to spend with her today.

I was thinking I should ask her to move in with me.

I was thinking I didn't care about this meeting and I should really get back into bed with her when I heard her calling me.

"Baby, come back to bed."

Stephanie had her arms wrapped lazily around me with her chin resting on my bare chest, those eyes looking up at me, before she noticed my men on the other side of the kitchen counter.

She jumped backwards from me as though she had been burned, looking frazzled as her cheeks turned bright pink.

I held back a laugh and put on what she calls my 'blank face'.

"Sorry," she squeaked, and she turned and ran for it in the direction of my bedroom, pulling my shirttails lower over her retreating legs.

"Babe," I called after her, amused.

"Tank, continue," I said, heading in the same direction.

"Babe," I said again, though I let the laugh show through my voice this time, "What was that?"  
"You're, you're guys, Ranger," she sputtered, "They saw, they saw, me… you…"

What had just happened apparently seemed too horrendous for words, because she didn't manage to get anything else out coherently.

"Relax amora," I said, stroking a soothing hand over her face and through her wild curls, "They were going to find out eventually. Everything will be fine."

She took a deep breath and looked at me curiously for a moment, then sighed.

"I guess you're right. But by God, I'm not wearing anything under this shirt!"

This time I didn't suppress my chuckle.

Only she could make me laugh like this.

"I'm aware Baby," I said, dragging her closer to me and playing with the hem of her shirt, "And as much as I like you in my clothes, I prefer the soft, naked look you had going before you put this on."

**Stephanie's POV:**

I woke up warm, sleepy, and thoroughly satisfied, although I was definitely missing something. That something became obvious when I rolled over to find an empty space where a warm, hard body should be. I sat up and realized I was already cold without Ranger. I decided that it was becoming disgusting how much I relied on him these days.

But by God, this was Ranger; what woman wouldn't want to sleep next to him?

I got up and pulled on the button-up shirt that had been hastily discarded the night before, and that's when it hit me. I sat down on the bed and smiled.

Ranger was in love with me.

Ranger wanted me not just now, but forever.

Ranger was completely mine.

On that note, I wondered into the hall to find the man of mystery, who had so _mysteriously_ disappeared from bed.

I found him making coffee, looking edible in black sweats and nothing else, his hair down and slightly messed from our night's activities.

"Baby, come back to bed."

I wrapped my arms around him and kissed his chest once before I rested my chin in the same spot, looking up at him.

I vaguely heard a voice clear and jumped, looking around to find six of Ranger's men standing there.

I could feel myself turning red and quickly made to cover my legs.

Oh my God, I was standing half naked in Ranger's kitchen and I had just referred to him as 'Baby' and kissed him and I was wearing his shirt and-

"Sorry," I managed while my mind raced, and somehow, miraculously, my body came through for me when my mind seemed to rush, and I was carried out of the room.

The second I hit the bed I groaned.

"So stupid, what were you thinking, take a look around, Stephanie, Jesus Christ," I mumbled distractedly.

I heard Ranger calling me, his voice in the hall. I stopped hyperventilating long enough for him to sit on the bed and reassure me that things were indeed okay. For a moment, I was taken aback again by just how easily he calmed me. Then my outfit came to mind again.

Damn it. Where were my repressive devices when I needed them?

"I guess you're right. But by God I'm not wearing anything under this shirt!"

He laughed and suddenly it was worth my agony.

God Ranger was sexy.

"I'm aware, Baby," he said, and he started touching me, making my mind go blank and my hormones jump, "And as much as I like you in my clothes, I prefer the soft, naked look you had going before you put this on."

Oh my.

**Ranger's POV:**

I looked into her eyes and gave her a little smile.

She grinned, bringing her fingers to the top button of my shirt and moving her fingers so slowly that I was hypnotized, watching button slide through hole, delicate fingers skimming down to the next one.

I covered her fingers with mine, both of us undoing the buttons, and I bent down and kissed her creamy skin, loving the way it was warm and sweet and God, so soft under my lips.

She pulled me to her for a kiss and I met her mouth with mine, running my tongue against the crease between her two plump lips, feeling them open to me immediately as I slipped my tongue into her warmth.

I pushed the material off of her shoulders and she was again bare in my arms.

She moaned, pulling away from me as I leaned over her, her head hitting the pillow.

"Baby," she said, kissing me briefly, "You have a meeting. God I never thought I'd see the day I was sending you to work."  
I groaned.

Was this really happening? Was I becoming soft? Stephanie Plum was reminding _me_ to work?

I kissed her again and had to work hard to pull back from her.

"I don't know what's happened to me. I used to be so focused. Look at me now. One of the guys could be listening at the door and I would have no idea, and even more, I wouldn't care."  
Stephanie laughed.

I didn't blame her. This statement was just simply so unlike me. I was usually quiet, aware, and never before had I been so enchanted by someone that I just didn't care about work.

I had never been such a cliché before.

**Tank's POV:**

I heard a laugh come from the bedroom and paused briefly.

I knew as soon as Ranger had missed his meeting and relocated it to his apartment that Bombshell had stayed the night.

When she came out, oblivious to the rest of us, I suppressed my own grin.

I was happy for Ranger, really I was, and while I understood his ambition, while I knew him a lot better than most people, it was nice to see him finally getting his act together where Stephanie was concerned.

I could tell he was amused when she scurried away, and when he asked me to take over the meeting, I knew that I was going to have to finish it as well.

No matter what Ranger has claimed over the years, everybody knows that there is an indisputable attraction between them. And anyone who knows him as well as I do knows that his past behavior, instead of showing his lack of interest, shows just how much he cares for her.

I began talking again just in time to be interrupted by my cell phone.

"Talk," I barked, annoyed.

By the time I hung up, I was contemplating how exactly I was going to get Ranger out of his bedroom.

The shit had hit the fan with the Peterson installation and we needed to deal with it promptly, or risk losing business from a very important client.

Fuck.

**Ranger's POV:**

"Fuck it," I said, and Stephanie looked at me like I had sprouted another head.

"Wh- What?"

"Fuck it. I'd rather be in bed with you."

She seemed to contemplate that for a minute, and then a shy smile spread over her face. I ran a hand over her bare body and pulled the sheet over her, wrapping her now draped body in my arms.

I kissed her, loving the way her lips felt against mine. I could kiss her a million times and never tire of it. They were soft and moist and full; those lips sucked me in just as effectively as they lapped at mine, teasing, nibbling, soothing.

I heard footsteps coming down the hall and pulled back. When someone stopped in the doorway, I didn't turn around, but kept my arms around Stephanie, clearly showing that the interruption was not welcomed.

"What is it, Tank?"  
I knew my voice was harsh, warning, but I didn't care.

"The Peterson system is crashing. Something's going on and Mr. Peterson himself has requested our immediate arrival."

I groaned.  
"Fine."

Good God, why _now_?

**Stephanie's POV:  
**

I was holding the sheet to my chest as Ranger climbed out of bed and went into his dressing room.

Eek!

I glanced nervously at Tank and then quickly glanced back down at the sheet.

Ever since I started working here, I was a lot more familiar with the guys, but I didn't know how Tank would react finding me naked in Ranger's bed.

"Nothing to worry about, Bombshell," he said in his deep, calming voice, and he threw me one of his rare smiles.

I grinned back at him shyly and gave him a little finger wave.

Ranger reappeared outfitted in black slacks and a black button up shirt, tucking a gun onto his belt.

He looked delicious.

Coming over to sit next to me, he laced a hand through my hair and kissed my cheek.

"Sorry Babe, I gotta go, big client. Stay here and sleep. I'll have Ella bring some breakfast up."  
He kissed me for a moment, then got up to leave.

Before I could stop myself I was yanking the hand I was holding back to me and Ranger was giving me a real kiss, tongue sliding into my mouth for just a moment.

When it was over, he slid his lips to my ear.

"I love you."

I was shocked speechless.

Ranger was not one for goodbyes, let alone 'I love you's', but then again, Ranger wasn't one to avoid work. He wasn't one to admit that he just wanted to stay in bed, or one who wanted to.

He left and I flopped back down and snuggled further into the sheets, pointedly resting my head on his pillow.

It smelled like him.

And Ranger smelled _good_.

Mmmm.

**Tank's POV:**

I walked into the bedroom to find Steph lying down under the covers with Ranger's arms around her. His irritation was not subtle, but I wasn't fazed. His tone would have had most of his men running for the hills, but I stood my ground and told him about the case.

He went to dress, groaning audibly.

I didn't blame him.

Bombshell was naked in bed and I was contemplating how much of a lucky bastard Ranger was.

Steph was sexy enough in clothes, but sitting there in just a sheet… my God.

She was fidgeting nervously and I felt a laugh begin to bubble low in my chest. She was probably the only woman who had ever been embarrassed to be found in Ranger's bed.

The only woman who was ever shy and modest enough to be.

"Nothing to worry about, Bombshell," I said, and I couldn't repress the smile.

Her finger wave had me choking back another laugh.

Ranger walked back in and spoke to her, explaining he had to leave. And then he kissed her.

When she pulled him back to her I felt like I was intruding on something distinctly intimate. I hadn't quite realized until that moment just how deep in Ranger was.

It was then that I made a mental note to pinpoint when he had stopped kissing her merely lustfully, as I had seen him do, and had started kissing her adoringly.

I turned and left, refusing to intrude even further into their intimacy. By the time I had reached the end of the hallway, I smiled.

Finally, fucking finally, they had stopped with the bullshit, and now they were obviously, disgustingly, in love.

Way to go, Bombshell.

**Bobby's POV:  
**

I was sitting in the back of the car while Tank drove, Ranger in the front seat. This morning had been interesting, to say the least. I was so psyched that the Bombshell was dating Ranger; that meant that we'd be seeing even more of her, now that we all knew.

My one regret was that it wasn't me she was dating.

Okay, okay, I know its stupid: Stephanie and the Boss always had a thing for each other, but I think I'm not alone in having fallen just a little in love with her. I think we all have.

But now, she's the Boss's woman.

I think she might've always been anyway.

"Nice hicky" says Tank, and I can hear the amusement in his voice.

Ranger stiffens and I wait for the calm and calculated explosion.

"Fuck off, Tank," he says, and I suppress a laugh as I see him subtly eye his own neck in the side mirror.

"Fuck," he mutters under his breath, and he pops his collar.

I hear Tank laugh slightly and wonder why he is bating Ranger after this morning.

"_What_, Tank," he says.

Ranger exasperation.

"Just happy for you, man."

"And," says Ranger, calculating.

"Didn't realize you were in so deep," Tank comments, and I see Ranger twitch.

"You're not here, Bobby," he says, and I understand that this conversation is not to be repeated, "What do you mean?"

"Come on Carlos," says Tank, and I understand (even though I'm not there) that they have switched from Boss and Second in Command to friends. "Don't bullshit me. You could barely pull yourself away."

"So?"

"You're in love with her."

It's a statement, not a question, and I'm stuck on every word.

"What do you want me to say, exactly?"

"Admit it. Stop fucking around with her."  
"Just because I don't tell you doesn't mean I haven't told her," he says, and despite the evenness of his tone, I can tell he's losing his temper.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I remember what you were like last time it fucked up, and I don't want you to do it to her again. Or to yourself."

"I'm not," says Ranger, and I can tell he's no longer angry, "I'm not messing with her Tank. We're not just fucking around."

"So you're together. She's your girlfriend?"

He's pushing, but I'm surprised when instead of seeing a flash of anger, I see Ranger look surprised at the term.

He contemplates for a second.

"Yeah, yeah I guess she is."

Nice.

**Ella's POV:**

I bustled in carrying a tray of eggs, bacon, toast, and a donut.

Cooking for Stephanie was any woman's dream.

And what Carlos didn't know didn't hurt him.

"Oh, Ella, you're a Godsend."  
She's such a lovely girl. I'm so glad Carlos has found her.  
From what I can tell from cleaning and making meals, they've been seeing each other for a couple months.

"No problem, Dear. Would you like something else?"  
She takes a bite of the eggs and moans, and I hear "Adopt me" slip out.

I can't help my laugh and that beautiful girl's face turns the color of rose petals.

She's wearing Carlos's shirt, I see, and I briefly consider shopping for nightclothes for her. Carlos tells me what to buy normally, but he's also told me to buy her anything I like.

He knows I've always wanted a daughter.

In these last days, I've noticed a change in him. He doesn't work all the time anymore, but is taking more days off. He's not as tough on his men; I've even been able to slip a tray of cookies into the break room without objection.  
"Would you like me to run you a bath, Dear?" I ask, because I am inexplicably drawn to Stephanie, and I feel the need to mother her as much as I wish I could Carlos.

"Oh no, that's okay," she giggles, "Thanks so much though. I'm just gonna stay in bed until Ranger gets back."

Now there's a girl in love. She's all sleepy and relaxed happiness.

"Yes, Querida," I say, and she glances at me curiously with a small smile.

"Ella?" she asks quietly, shy suddenly.

"Mmh?"

"He's a great man, isn't he?"

"Of course, Dear," I say, taken aback.

"No, I mean, not a great businessman, or bounty hunter, or soldier. He's really a great _man_. And he loves me," she mutters the last part to herself, but I am already smiling.

This woman is the one for Carlos, I can tell.

I don't think another woman has ever gotten to know Carlos the man. Or recognized that he was not just the businessman.

"And you, Querida?"

She doesn't seem to have realized that she has spoken aloud, and she blushes briefly, before smiling shyly,

"You love him too, yes?"

"Yes," she whispers, like it's a secret she's afraid to tell.

Like I did not already know.

I watch her eat, conversing lightly, about my sons, about her baby, Rex, who I have cared for.

About Ranger.

"Sleep, Dear," I say.

She really does look exhausted.

"Mmm, night Ella," she grins sleepily into Carlos's pillow.

"Good _morning_, Querida, welcome to a new day," I say, but she sleeps.

Beautiful girl.

**Stephanie's POV:**

Lips are kissing me, soft, fantastic lips are parting mine. I know those lips.

A tongue is slipping into my mouth and caressing softly and I'm in heaven, waiting for those hands, those hands that reach down to my waist and pull me against a hard body,

"Ranger," I can't help the breathless way my voice sounds, and I open my eyes to his deep brown ones.

"Good sleep, Babe?"

"Mmm," I say, and I can't help the goofy smile that crosses my face.

He grins and kissed me briefly, and I run my hand over his bare chest.

"Get everything figured out?"

"Yeah, Baby. Tank and Bobby are just finishing up. But I grabbed a truck and came back once I handled the client."

I can't help my surprise.

"You did what?"  
"I wanted to be back here with you. The others can handle it. Now, what do you want to do today?" he smiles, and its one of the sexiest things I've ever seen.

His hair is slightly disheveled and he's smiling broadly, slyly, like he knows how his wolf grin sinks my mind straight into the gutter.

"What if I said I wanted to go to the mall?" I ask, hoping to pull a grimace.

He surprises me again

He's been doing that a lot lately.

"As long as we stop in Victoria Secret and buy out the lingerie."

I can't help my smile. I don't remember ever dating a man who would voluntarily enter that particular woman's haven. But Ranger is brave. Not to mention, the man does enjoy lingerie…

"Deal."

He moves to get up, and I wrench his head back down to mine with a firm hand in his hair.

"Carlos," I whisper, and he leans down to kiss me softly, "I love you."  
He sighs contentedly and shifts so that his body lays over me.

"I love you too, Amora," he murmurs against my lips.

And then I'm in wonderful, delightful, ecstatic oblivion.

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed this. Please review and let me know what you think. I haven't decided whether to keep writing a full length story that I've begun, so let me know if you think I should. Also, if you notice any repetitive or outstanding grammatical errors, please let me know so I can correct them. Thanks for reading!


End file.
